Basic attack

A basic attack (also called a standard, normal, or auto attack) is the default means by which a unit deals damage. Champions perform basic attacks when an enemy unit is right-clicked; basic attacks are also performed by an idle champion when an enemy unit ventures too close to it (if the option to basic attack when idling is enabled), or when the "attack move" function is used (default Shift + Right Click).

Monsters and minions perform basic attacks as their only method of dealing damage (with some exceptions).

A basic attack, under normal circumstances, deals 100% of attack damage, and can occur whenever the unit's attack timer is over, which is reduced by attack speed and reset by basic attack resets.

Contents

Option

By default, a champion will automatically basic attack nearby enemy units. This feature can be turned off in the options menu. Auto attacking can be momentarily disabled by using the "stop" command (default S).

Behaviour

General

Basic attacks cannot be dodged under normal circumstances. That is to say, once a basic attack has been issued from the attacker, it cannot miss the target and will follow the target despite any subsequent changes in position. Certain abilities will cause basic attacks to fail, whether by dodging, blocking, negating, missing or parrying. See Blind, Fiora'sRiposte, Jax'sCounter Strike, Pantheon'sAegis Protection.

Champion

When using attack-move, the champion stops to attack any hostile that gets in their way en route to a destination. If a champion has an attack target, they will continue to attack it if in range and will move closer to it when out of range, until either a new target is specified, a cancel order is issued (pressing the S key or by specifying another move order), or they lose vision of the target.

Many champions also have abilities that will affect their basic attacks in some way or form. Such abilities are treated like basic attacks, are said to apply on-hit effects and will also apply Ability effects.

Minions

Minions will automatically attack their closest target by default, but may change targets in a similar manner to turrets. For more information see the behavior of minions page.

Monsters

Almost all monsters only use basic attacks and only deal physical damage, the exceptions are:

Turrets

The behavior of turrets is described on the corresponding page as well as the damage of turret basic attacks. Turret basic attacks differ from regular basic attacks by increasing damage. (Every consecutive turret basic attack deals slightly more damage than the last)

Structures

In normal circumstances, structures can only be damaged by basic attacks.

Vision

Basic attacking while hiding in brush or in fog of war will reveal the attacking unit. If in brush, basic attacking will reveal allies nearby while basic attacking.

Damage

Basic attacks always deal physical damage unless one of the following abilities is used, in which case the whole damage of the basic attack will be magic damage.

Attack speed

The rate at which a champion attacks is called attack speed, and is capped at 2.5 attacks per second.

Resets

Certain abilities can "reset" the basic attack timer, causing the basic attack to queue in prematurely before the second basic attack initiates the queue, resulting in a faster second attack rather than basic attacking twice normally.

References

↑This ability involves a casting animation which delays the next attack, making it less effective in increasing attack rate; in fact it may decrease attack rate if the champion's attack speed is sufficiently high.